It's Springertime for Chicago!!

After months of negotiations, it has finally happened.  Jerry Springer, The Opera, will have its American premier, not on Broadway, but in Jerry Springer's hometown of Chicago.

The show will conclude the Bailiwick Repretory Theatre's 25th Anniversery Season and will be directed by David Zak, the theatre's founder and Artisitic Director.

Bailiwick is in a unique position with respect to the marketing of the show as the Jerry Springer, The Opera will have the full support of Jerry Springer himself who is experiencing a resurrgence of popularity with his stint with Dancing With The Stars.  It is expected that Mr. Springer will attend auditions and have a say in who will be protraying him.

The show is scheduled to begin previews on May 4, 2007 with opening night on May 14, 2007.

Bailwick Theatre is also seeking limited corporate and individual sponsors for the production.  Any interested sponsors should contact Mr. Zak at the numbers below or through the Bailiwick website. 

The following is the press release issued by Bailiwick Repretory:

Bailiwick Repertory

1229 West Belmont

Chicago, IL 60657-3205

773-883-1090 www.bailiwick.org

For immediate Release:  Wednesday, November 8, 2006

Contact David Zak, Artistic Director 773-883-1090 x 11 (David@bailiwick.org)

Lee Peters, General Manager 773 883 1090 x 14

Bailiwick Repertory Presents the American Premiere of

JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA

In Jerry's Home Town of Chicago on Monday, May 14, 2007

Chicago, IL  - Bailiwick Repertory will conclude it's Bailiwick@25 Celebration by presenting the American Premiere of the sensational, award-winning musical JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA.  The only work in British History to win Best Musical in all of their major awards – Olivier Awards, Critic's Choice, Evening Standard, and What's On Stage – along with many other awards, JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA is a fascinating mix of the highest form of art and the lowest form of culture - opera and daytime television. 

In turns hilarious and heartbreaking, JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA presents a series of unusual characters who each are desperate for 'their Jerry Springer moment.' With music by Richard Thomas, and book and lyrics by Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas, JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA begins in very familiar territory for those of us very aware of Jerry's presence in the NBC Tower downtown. In Act 1, Jerry's guests include a man with a fiancé, a lover, and another lover with a secret. In Act 2, we find Jerry hosting in a very different place as he is forced to experience the worst day of his life, and his guests take the level of debate to operatic heights.

JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA previews on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 on May 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12 and Sunday at 3:30 on May 6 and 13. Preview tickets are $20 on Thursday, $25 on Friday, and Sunday and $30 Saturday. Opening night is Monday, May 14 at 7:30, with tickets $50 including reception.  Regular performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30, and Sunday at 3:30 through July 8. There are also Wednesday performances at 10:30 a.m. on June 6 and 13, and Wednesday 7:30 performances on June 20 and 27. Tickets for the regular run are $25 on Wednesday and Thursday, $35 on Friday and Sunday, and $40 on Saturday. Please note there is no performance on Sunday, June 24.

JERRY SPRINGER – THE OPERA is directed by David Zak, winner of seven Jeff Citations. Musical Director is Gary Edward, with costumes by Jeff Jones, lighting by Jared B. Moore, and choreography by Brenda Didier. Deanna Cox and Scott Deter are the production stage managers. It features a cast of 25.

Tickets for JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA are available now at 773-883-1090.  For theater goers not sure of their spring and summer schedules, you can purchase a Jerry Pass for Two ($50), or Jerry Pass for Five ($100) to get vouchers redeemable for any performance during the run – and save greatly over single ticket prices. Bailiwick also offers seasonal subscriptions that are Flex Passes good for one year from date of purchase.  Bronze Passes allow for 8 admissions for any performance for $165, Silver Passes are 12 admissions for $230, and Gold Passes allow for 16 admissions for $275.

The New York Times called JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA "a brilliant, hilarious crowd-pleasing musical…. enormously entertaining." The Sunday Times calls it "brilliantly scandalous and scandalously brilliant… a bruising, shocking, irresistibly funny masterpiece." Variety says "Where co-creators Thomas and Lee succeed is in dignifying the desires, however twisted, of that portion of society one would like to consign to the dustbin."

"Bailiwick is a perfect spot for this American premiere," states Bailiwick Artistic Director.  "We have had great success with daring large-scale musical projects from DORIAN to PARADE.  And we have an audience base that embraces the passionate and provocative choices that have been the Bailiwick trademark for the last 25 years.  And, frankly, what other theater in town could be the happy home for a work with a delightful aria about a 'chick-with-a-dick!'

Richard Thomas (Music/Co-Author of Book and Lyrics) made his West End debut with JERRY SPRINGER. Previous works include Kombat Opera's Torrette's Diva.  TV and theatre credits include Musical Director of The Frank Skinner Show, This Morning With Richard Not Judy, and Harry Hill's sold-out national tour. He also composed and performed music for Attention Seven on BBC that was nominated for The Golden Rose of Montreaux 2001. He has been involved in several Edinburgh Fringe Festival shows, including Perrier Award nominated The League Against Tedium, Beethoven's Not Dead, Legends on the Edge of The Millennium, Arthur Smith's Hamlet, Cherub Zarathustra and The Tom Miles Quartet. 

Stewart Lee (Co-Author of Book and Lyrics) won a Writers Guild Award and a Sony Gold award for On The Hour on BBC Radio 4 and worked on the award-winning Channel 4 show Harry Hill and This Morning With Richard Not Judy.   His first novel The Perfect Fool was published in 2001 by Fourth Estate. He performed as a stand-up comedian at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for 14 consecutive years, and the concert version of Jerry Springer – The Opera was his 15^th visit.

Bailiwick@25! Celebration features the Chicago premieres of 12^th Annual Production of THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER by John Reeger and Julie Shannon (November 17 to December 31, 2006), THE DREAMS OF LAURA BUSH and THE PASSION OF TERRI SHIAVO by Karen Finley (January 3 to 7, 2007), Paula Vogel's bittersweet comedy THE OLDEST PROFESSION (January 13 to February 25), the Flaherty and Ahrens musical MY FAVORITE YEAR (March 8 to April 14), and JERRY SPRINGER - THE OPERA. 

Founded in 1982, Bailiwick Repertory is dedicated to reflecting on our stages the diversity of our world in works ranging from classics to world premieres. Our Primary Series features plays and musicals  - many by Chicago authors – appealing to the traditional theater goer, while our Community Based Initiatives – Pride Series, Directors Fest, Kids of All Kinds, and Second Sex Series – develop new artists and audiences. Bailiwick has earned over 150 Jeff Recommendations and Citations, including Best Musical Awards for the last three seasons for the world premiere of DR. SEX, the Chicago premiere of PARADE, and a revival of KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. In addition the company has won several Black Theater Alliance Awards, two dozen After Dark Awards, the Community Service Award from the Chicago Hearing Society, and is the only theater in the country given the Torch Award from the Human Rights Campaign.

Anyone interested in auditioning for JERRY SPRINGER – THE OPERA should send resumes and headshots by November 19 to BRCasting@aol.com.   The show features 11 soloists, a chorus of 12, and two non-singing roles – Jerry Springer and his bouncer Steve. 

For tickets and reservations call 773-883-1090 or visit www.bailiwick.org.